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Nfl Writer Lists Former Patriots First Round Pick As Cut Candidate

Bonisiwe Shabane
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nfl writer lists former patriots first round pick as cut candidate

There might not be a better change of scenery candidate on the New England Patriots roster than offensive lineman Cole Strange. The former first-round pick has struggled to stay healthy in his three NFL seasons, and he hasn't been especially effective when he plays. Despite his status as a first-round pick, it wouldn't be surprising to see New England cut bait sooner than later. NFL.com's Eric Edholm believes Strange is an obvious cut candidate as the league's roster cutdown deadline approaches. "Strange was a curious first-round selection in 2022, viewed primarily as a developmental Day 2 prospect then, and his NFL journey has been rife with setbacks, injuries and struggles," Ehholm wrote for NFL.com. "The Patriots have tried him at guard and center, and Strange really hasn't stuck at either spot.

And it's not as if the offensive line is completely sorted out either. It just feels like Strange is in need of a fresh start." The New England Patriots have had quite the offseason; an excellent draft (by the media’s accounts, at least), a free agency period that yielded multiple new starters on both sides of the ball, and... But good news for some can be bad news for others, as new additions to the team could spell an end of the road for certain veterans on the team. Specifically, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder, former first round pick and offensive lineman, Cole Strange, who was controversially selected with the 29th overall selection back in 2022. The Patriots declined the fifth year option on Strange last month, making him a free agent at the end of the season, and now it seems that there is a possibility that they could...

“While Mike Vrabel said the 26-year-old was impressive at center on the small sample size last year,” Holder writes, “the new Pats head coach also said he will be competing with veteran free-agent signing... Former Patriots captain, in first year of $58 million deal, a leading cut candidate originally appeared on The Sporting News The New England Patriots are being crafted in the image of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, and that means some veteran players are being marginalized in favor of Vrabel-approved roster acquisitions. One such player is Kyle Dugger, 29, who was a Patriots team captain in 2024 for the first time in his career. He will likely not earn that distinction this season, and it appears as if he is in jeopardy of losing his starting job, according to Comcast New England Patriots insider Phil Perry. Dugger has been a productive player for the Patriots since being selected as a second-round pick in 2020.

He has nine career interceptions and 424 tackles over 74 games. However, his contract may make him a cap casualty when the Patriots trim their roster. Dugger is playing in the first year of a four-year, $58 million contract. According to NFL Analysis NFL insider Keagan Stiefel, he would cost the Patriots $14 million in dead cap space if released. The New England Patriots added a lot of new bodies to their offensive line this offseason. They signed veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and drafted LSU's Will Campbell to be their new left tackle.

They also brought in interior offensive linemen Garrett Bradbury and Wes Schweitzer. This makes for a competitive room throughout the rest of the spring and the summer in training camp, which means at least one veteran could be on the outside looking in. Matt Holder of Bleacher Report predicts that former first-round pick Cole Strange could be the unlucky one in the rotation that is left without a roster spot. "While Mike Vrabel said the 26-year-old was impressive at center on the small sample size last year, the new Pats head coach also said he will be competing with veteran free-agent signing Garrett Bradbury... "Even if Strange sticks at guard, he will have to fend off a couple of other offseason additions, free-agent pickup Wes Schweitzer and third-round pick Jared Wilson, in addition to Layden Robinson. That led NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry to list the former Moc as a potential surprise cut, and it's hard to argue with the logic."

Strange was a surprise first-round pick back in 2022 out of Chattanooga. He suffered a torn patellar tendon in 2023 that saw him out of action until November of 2024. And while his pass-blocking ranked among the top of NFL centers in 2024 (in limited playing time), he struggled in run blocking, finishing with a 48.6 PFF grade. Considering all of the new bodies the Patriots have brought in, combined with a new regime of a coaching staff that isn't attached to the former first-round pick, it won't be a complete shock... The New England Patriots moved on from a recent first-round draft choice on Tuesday. The team released offensive lineman Cole Strange as part of roster cutdowns to 53 players.

The decision came despite thin depth up front, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Strange, who was drafted 29th overall in 2022 out of Tennessee-Chattanooga, made 29 starts across three seasons with the Patriots. He had opened this summer as a starter under new coach Mike Vrabel but quickly slid to reserve work at both guard and center. Injuries factored into his decline. After suffering a significant knee injury in late 2023, Strange was limited to three games last year, as noted by the New York Post. Though healthy entering camp, he could not hold off rookie Jared Wilson, a third-round pick from Georgia, now projected to step in at left guard.

Ben Brown will serve as a primary backup. Several players showed out for the Patriots in the preseason opener against the Commanders. The team rolled to a dominant 48-18 win and looked efficient and prepared in all phases. One of the players who DID NOT come out of preseason Week 1 in good standing is former first-round pick Cole Strange. Strange began the offseason program as the favorite to start at left guard but ended up ceding that spot to rookie Jared Wilson. It was thought that, as a former top pick, Strange would have a chance to bounce back and earn his spot again.

Instead, it now seems most likely that Strange is playing elsewhere come Week 1. After the preseason opener, Karen Guregian of MassLive and Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston both published updated 53-man roster projections, and neither had Strange making the team. And, as Sara Marshall of Musket Fire put it, “It’s not looking good for Cole Strange to make the Patriots’ 2025 roster.” Against the Commanders, Strange tied for the team lead in snaps among guards, with 25. It’s probably not a good sign that Strange played more snaps than Wilson, Tyrese Robinson, and Garrett Bradbury. The New England Patriots are taking on the New York Giants in the final preseason game of the season.

Final roster cuts are coming Tuesday morning, making this the last chance for former first round pick Cole Strange to prove he belongs on the 2025 roster. Strange is firmly planted in the hot seat after acquiring starting center Garrett Bradbury and drafting presumed starter, Jared Wilson, in April’s draft. Strange is an interior offensive lineman, of which the Patriots have plenty. Tonight Strange needs to prove that he has value in more places than one. New England Patriots‘ writer Mike Dussault says he is expected to get work at center as well as guard. The interior offensive line remains unsettled, but the three main competitors for the starting left guard and center spot — Garrett Bradbury, Ben Brown and Jared Wilson — are likely to have the night...

“That will put a spotlight on the potential backups, any of whom could be thrust into a more significant role at any time this season. Cole Strange is expected to get reps at center, a chance to demonstrate his interior swing value. The Pats are expected to keep anywhere from eight to ten offensive lineman. Without the ability to play tackle, Strange has to be one of the five best interior players in this unit.

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